While there are a couple of omissions IMO (Price and Setoguchi being the biggest), it's still a good TEAM. If Canada wants to win, they're going to need strong goaltending, a repeat performance from Sutter behind the bench, and a total team effort from our top forward to our 7th defenceman.
Pogge should be fine in goal. I would have liked to see Price as his back-up, but if Dubnyk gets the job done, I'm cool. I love seeing Pokuluk on the team, he's big, and he's thrived on international-sized ice before while with Notre Dame. The defence is young, but a top five of Barker, Staal, Bourdon, Russell and Parent bring a blend of talent. Barker will be our PP guy, Staal's ubber-steady, Russell and Bourdon bring multiple contributions and Parent is a terrific defensive defenceman.
On a team that could struggle to score, I would have liked to see Setoguchi, especially ahead of Pyatt. I'm not a big Steve Downie fan, I think he's a bit of a nitwit, but I think he could be this year's Jordin Tootoo: an aggressive, intense, bull in a china shop crowd pleaser with some skill. (Tootoo was never used right in 2003). I think Cogliano, Pouliot, Latendresse and Bolland will have to shoulder the load offensively. Toews is a born winner, he has thrived for Canada on the international stage, but asking him to be an offensive producer is asking a little bit much. Chipchura is the right pick for captain. He's a born leader and an excellent character player. I don't think he's quite the leader that Mike Richards was, or as good of an all-round player, but with Chipchura, leadership and character won't be a concern.
